Chapter 30

Booms resounded close by, making the amplifying chamber tremble and the lake above the glass dome rippled uneasily.

I cursed again as I stalked back and forth in front of the little toddler. I needed to be up there fighting, not here babysitting. But I hadn't had much choice. I'd seen Dante running across campus with the tiny dude in his arms, and when two Dragon shifters had attacked him, he'd been forced to shift and fight back. I'd run to help, grabbed the little boy and Dante had given me a desperate look before leading the Dragons away from us, making them chase him into the clouds.

I couldn't exactly stay out there and risk the baby's life, so I came down here. And now I was stuck here, fearing for everyone's lives and aching to be part of the fight.

"This is your fault, you know," I accused Luca. "You're all small and weak and fragile. Just a squishy little lump with no magic. If you'd grown up a bit quicker, we wouldn't be in this mess."

The boy cocked his head at me, his dark, curly hair all blown about by the storm that Dante had cooked up before we'd made it down here.

"Wolfy," he said, pointing at me.

"Yeah, yeah," I muttered. "You don't get a free pass just because you're tiny and cute. I should be out there fighting. I'm a warrior." I pounded my fist against my chest and the little guy mimicked me.

"Wolfy," he repeated.

Another boom sounded above, closer this time and I shuddered, glancing up at the stirring lake. I'd left my Atlas back in my room so I couldn't even check in with anyone. How many of our enemies were here? Was this it? The end game? Was I on the precipice of seeing the world fall? Or did we stand a chance of rising up and winning when we'd had no time to prepare for this?

A flash of light blasted through the lake and I lunged for Luca, scooping him into my arms and casting a powerful dome of air around us. The lake glowed for a second then several strange, shadowy shapes began falling towards us through the gloom.

I squinted at them, unsure what I was seeing, but as they got closer, my throat thickened. Bodies. Ten in total, all of them sinking slowly to the bottom of the lake, lifeless with bloody wounds ripped through their chests. I recognised them as rebels, familiar faces of people I'd never really known. But we'd fought for the same thing. Any one of them could have been someone I loved, but I made sure to look each of them in their soulless eyes, making certain none of them belonged to my family.

I held Luca tighter, his little face close to my chest so he couldn't see the bodies. Shit like that might stick with him. I swear I could remember stuff from his age, but I hadn't had to grow up during a war. The kid deserved to be shielded from all of this, kept safe somewhere none of it would ever affect him. He hadn't even had a chance at life yet, and I damn well wasn't gonna let him face death and destruction if I could help it.

Luca whinged and I hushed him, patting his back. "It's all good, Uncle Seth's got you now. I'll get you back to your parents. Gabe's probably seen I have you already and won't be at all worried because I'm one of the dream pack, okay? Wolfman's here, I'll keep you safe."

The lake shivered again and that ethereal light blasted right through it like a laser this time, causing the water to churn into a whirlpool, sloshing and writhing while more bodies sank into its depths.

The light hit the glass dome and my breath hitched as cracks burst out across it. I only had a moment to act, racing for the tunnel as the cracking sound followed me, the mere touch of that light breaking the near-impenetrable glass. Water exploded into the space and I sprinted up the tunnel with my heart pounding, casting air at my back to move faster, tearing along as the water shot up behind us.

I tightened my air bubble just as the water hit us, throwing us forward violently and sending us flying up the stairs. But we were safe inside the bubble, the water blasting us along at high speed, then propelling us onto the grass beyond.

I landed on my feet with the help of air, checking on Luca who giggled lightly like that had been some fun game. I smiled back, letting him believe everything was just fine, not wanting him to catch on to the panic sweeping through my chest. Because I had to get him somewhere safe, and with screams tearing out across campus, I didn't know where that might be.

A shriek and wail of noise behind me made me turn, and I found Lavinia hovering above Aqua Lake on a pillar of shadow. But the dark power that tore from her was gilded with light, like some unholy force was contained within it.

Rebels were making rough boats, taking them onto the water to blast her with magic, but she cut through them like they were made of paper, Fae and boat alike sinking away into the depths of the lake.

Darcy was flying out there with Tory, the two of them working to try and shield the rebels while taking turns to attack Lavinia. But every time one of them struck at her, a huge whip of light and shadow tore through their fire and guttered it out. Somehow, that power was fiercer than even their Phoenix flames, and I couldn't understand how she possessed it.

Lavinia blasted the water again with that unholy magic and an enormous wave came crashing this way. Luca whooped, clapping his hands, and I made a run for The Shimmering Springs, carrying us up above the water with air and flying south across campus, landing among the rocks. I pressed back into an alcove, trying to work out what to do, where to go, my pulse thrumming fast in my ears. Think, dammit. Think.

I looked down at Luca with a frown. He was star damned vulnerable; I couldn't risk anything happening to him. His family was relying on me.

I cast a little metal helmet for him, fitting it onto his head and strapping it in place. Then I cast straps out of leaves and vines, wrapping them around his body and binding him to me with his face close to my chest. I cast a plate of metal against his back and neck to protect him, then turned my gaze to the springs ahead. I had to get him to Terra House. It was the safest place on campus, and no doubt where all the kids and elderly would be taking shelter. But that was fucking miles from here, and though the quickest answer was flying with air, I might draw the attention of a Dragon.

I could burrow my way there, but I hadn't had a moon run recently, and I didn't want to burn through the magic I did have. Especially if a fight was waiting for us at the end of it. No, the best choice was to shield and run like the star damned wind.

"Fuck," I breathed.

"Fuck," Luca echoed.

"Exactly," I said to him. "Okay, little dude. We're gonna go on an adventure."

"Venture!" he said excitedly.

"Uh huh. We're going out into the wilderness where some big bad Dragons are waiting for us. If we see one, we have to hide and be really, really quiet. Can you do that?"

"Sss," he hissed, pressing a finger to his mouth then chewing on it.

"I'm gonna take that as a hell yes," I said confidently, stepping out from the alcove and making a run for it across the narrow, rocky paths between the bubbling springs. "I've got you, buddy. And I'm gonna get you back to your momma."